Health Care

applicants

This position will support the Adult Outpatient Behavioral Health Service, Mental Health Department, Mental Health Directorate at the National Naval Medical Center in support of the Traumatic Brain Injury Program. Qualifications: Must be a US Citizen1.        Possess a current certification as a Psychiatric Technician by the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians, OR2.        Possess a certification received from military training as a Psychiatric Technician, OR3.        Possess a current, unrestricted license to practice as an LVN/LPN in any one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands and current state or national certification in the subspecialty of Psychiatry.  4.        Provide three letters of recommendation written within the last two years attesting to the health care worker's clinical skills.  A minimum of one of the letters must be from a supervisor either previous or current.  Reference letters must include name, title, phone number, date of reference, address and signature of the individual providing reference.5.        Have a minimum of 12 months full time experience within the preceding 24 months as a Psychiatric Technician or LPN with subspecialty of Psychiatry. Duties:  1.        Demonstrate sound psychiatric nursing theoretical and practical approaches in providing patient care.2.        Demonstrate a sound understanding and assist in the management of a therapeutic milieu; providing structure, social support, patient education, safety, and social skills training.3.        Monitor, escort, and/or act as a therapeutic participant in patient activities in the outpatient psychiatric clinic and outpatient programs.4.        Provide care for patients utilizing proper infection control and safety techniques as planned and/or ordered.  Document per clinic policy and notify the mental health provider in charge of any abnormal or unusual findings in a timely manner.5.        Utilize therapeutic assessment and interview skills to illicit accurate and concise accounts of the patient’s condition.  Document patient care using proper terminology that is in accordance with clinic policy.6.        Utilize sound judgment and crisis intervention skills, including physical restraint, to prevent or reverse situations which may be potentially harmful.  Follow command and clinic specific policies for Seclusion/Restraint, Elopement and Management of the Assaulted patient.7.        Exhibit a basic knowledge of psychotropic medications including actions, side effects and common dosages.  Follow command policies and procedures for the administration and documentation of scheduled and PRN medications.  Inform the mental health provider in charge of any errors, discrepancies, or adverse patient reactions.8.        Screen patients to determine presenting problems and priority of appointment.  This may entail telephone triage or in-person evaluation.  Perform basic assessment procedures, including initial screening evaluation and standardized psychological testing.  Assist credentialed providers with identifying mental health diagnosis and treatment strategies, as well as providing patient education. 9.        Assist in providing specialized treatment and rehabilitation of mental health patients.  Assist in conducting individual and group therapy sessions.  Observe, monitor, report, and record patient interaction and progress.  Institute precautionary measures to prevent patient injuries due to suicide, homicide, or elopement.  Perform verbal and manual restraint and applies mechanical restraints as needed. 10.        Present or facilitate a variety of health and wellness programs, including stress management, suicide intervention, and smoking cessation.  Conduct various programs in support of the clinic.11.        Coordinate with other base agencies and Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) regarding specialized care, treatment, and administrative functions.  Contact military or community agencies to obtain collateral information. Explains and interprets mental health services and procedures to access care to patients and commands.  Assist in or arrange for patient referral to other facilities for alternate level of care.12.        Provide care to mentally ill or emotionally disturbed patients and participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs. 13.        Measure and record patient's general physical condition, such as weight, pulse, temperature, and respiration, to provide daily information.  Observe patients to detect behavior patterns and report observations to medical staff. 14.        Co-facilitate prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures and independently facilitate educational groups.15.        Regularly interface with staff and patients to assess needs and continuously improve the quality of service delivered.16.        Obtain a full range of clinical, historical, and current information from patients presenting for care over the telephone or in person.  Transcribe this information into Word or AHLTA documents.  Present information obtained to privileged providers and trainees.17.        Establish new clinical charts of patients being seen and scheduled to be seen.  Ensure that records are up to date and complete by regularly filing reports and other relevant information in patient records.18.        Regularly schedule new and follow-up patients for clinic appointments, in accordance with applicable Service SOPs and NNMC instructions.Services will be given on a 40 hour week Monday through Friday between the hours of 0700 and 1700 for an 8.5 hour shift which includes an uncompensated .5-hour meal break The contractor health care workers will each accrue 4 hours of personal leave (annual plus sick) for each 80 hours workedThis is a full time, long term contract with full benefits, including paid holiday, vacations and health insurance.